Advertising rates for commercials of television programs are determined by the expected size of viewer audience for television programs. These expectations are usually determined from the estimated audience sizes of previously broadcast shows. For example, a weekly television series will estimate its audience size for upcoming episodes based on the estimated size of previously broadcasted episodes. In addition, advertising rates may be adjusted based on an after the fact estimation of the market share for the televised program. The present systems for estimating market share involve survey evidence such as the Nielsen ratings. Previous market data was taken by selecting households to record their viewing habits. For example, a selected household might record in a written journal or diary when members of the household turn on and turn off the television, what channels are selected, and the number of viewers in the room. This data may alternatively be collected by providing the user with an electronic device where he pushes a button that indicates the turning on or off of the television and the channel selected. Other systems are connected directly to the television that will monitor power on and off and the channel and time of the selected programs. These monitoring systems are typically wired to a dedicated telephone line, and when instructed, they dump their memory over a phone line to a central computer for analysis.
However, these monitoring systems are inadequate for monitoring when a viewer records a program on a video tape using a video cassette recorder. For recording programs, the VCR may be operated independently of turning the television set on, and thus the systems will not detect the fact that the program was recorded. When the recorded program is subsequently viewed, the systems will note that the television is turned on but the selected channel is typically an uncommon television channel, such as channel 3 or 4, which is selected every time the VCR is operated. Even knowing that the television has been turned on, the monitoring system cannot determine the program that is being played. In addition, an individual may watch a recorded program several times over periods of years. The diary entry system is also erroneous because a viewer may not be inclined to record his entries or may make false entries.
Publishers of video tapes presently have no method for determining the frequency of viewing of their video tapes. In particular, one type of video tape contains a plurality of different video programs. For example, a Jane Fonda workout tape may contain ten different exercises ranging from an initial warmup to segments exercising leg muscles, segments for exercising upper body muscles, and a final cool down segment. While exercising viewers may skip certain strenuous segments on a regular basis. However, the video publisher does not know that such skipping occurs, By knowing that one video segment is not being watched, the publisher can either modify the segment or eliminate it completely. For example, in the Jane Fonda workout video example, the strenuous exercise segment may be reduced to being less strenuous or a separate tape could be generated without the strenuous segment and marketed as a low impact exercise tape.